Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1886 — A Race After Snow Elk. [ARTICLE]

A Race After Snow Elk.

A Lander, Wyoming correspondent of the New York Mail and Express writes: About two months ago a band of snow elk was discovered in the Green River mountains. The rare animals at once excited the hunters of file region, and the srfow elk were pursued by a large party. The pursuit was a signal failure, the cunning animals baffling the hunters and escaping into the deepest recesses of the mountains. The party was led into a district of precipices and snow drifts, from which they only escaped by abandoning everything except their aims. One of the baffled hunters, came to the conclusion that he could, by himself, get the best of the cunning snow elk. So ten days ago he left his camp on the Green river lor the haunts of those animals. It took him three days of hard toil to reach their habitat. Once there he found the elk.

The rays of an afternoon sun shone full upon the band as it fed upon the side of a mountain some two miles distant. Night-fall found the hunter within a mile of the game, and ho lay down in a snow-drift for the night, fully persuaded that the next day would see at least one of the famed snow elk fall by his rifle. With the morning light the elk were still to be seen, and the hunter began his wary approach. Through deep arroyos, beneath lofty precipices, behind huge walls of snow, and ice, the hunter took his way, and by 10 o’clock was almost within range. Selecting a fine cow, whose dazzling white coat shone in the outer circle of the herd, he began a still more cautious approach. Suddenly the herd, as if moved by a common impulse, raised their heads, and the next instant moved off toward the interior of the mountain. Puzzled and disappointed the hunter followed in their wake. All he could do was to maintain the relative nearness to the herd he had already gained. He could get no nearer. For two days the hunter followed the snow elk into the mountains. Rising from his snoYvy bed one morning, the hunter found the entire heavens black with the announcement of an approaching storm. The movements of the snow elk no longer puzzled the hunter. They were seeking refuge from the storm their instinct told them was approaching. The hunter lost not a moment in taking the back track. To be caught in these fastnesses by such a storm as was portended means certain death. Six hours hard traveling placed the hunter on a comparatively low level. Here the storm struck him. For two days he wandered blindly forward, in the midst of whirling snows and savage winds. He darea not pause, though every instant he expected to fall over some hidden precipice, and be buried fathoms deep. When the storm cleared away, our hunter found that he was lost in the midst of frightful drifts. Here his hunting craft saved him. Taking a course he kept it, and after four days of exhausting toil and fearful privations, he came out upon the southern slope of the Wind mountains and saw before him the Lander settlements, ninety miles distant from where he started. _ The snow elk is a most rare animal and is know chiefly to this generation by tradition. Until this band was discovered the tales of the snow elk were looked upon as figments. The snow elk is a third larger than the common brown variety and is far more active and cunning. His color is a dazzling white, and it takes the surest and quickest eye to detect his presence amid the snowdrifts when he is not in motion.